Management of Mangrove Forests by Sindh Forest
Department
Riaz Ahmed Wagan
Sindh Forest Department
Extent of Pakistan’s coast
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The Pakistan’s coast is about 1050 km long
extending from the Indian border on the east to
the Iranian border in the west.
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of
Pakistan is about 240,000 sq. km with an
additional continental shelf area of about
50,000 sq. km. As such, the total maritime
zone of Pakistan is over 30% of the land area
NIO 2011).
Coastal Resources of Sindh
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In Sindh, mangroves of the Indus Delta are
present in the districts of Thatta and Karachi;
However deltaic area devoid of mangroves is
also present in Badin district as well.
Early records show eight species of mangroves
exist along the delta. Presently only four are
found i.e. Avicennia marina, Rhizophora
mucronata, Aegiceras corniculatum and
Ceriops tagal
Ownership status of the Mangroves
Organization
/
Legal Status
of Indus
delta Area
Department
(Hectares)
Sindh Forest
Department
280,470
Protected Forests
(1958)
Sindh Board of
Revenue
260,000
Protected Forests
(Nov. 2010)
Port Qasim
Authority
64,400
Protected Forests
(1958)
Karachi Port Trust
2,000
Protected Forests
(Nov. 2010)
Total
606,870
Coastal Resources of Pakistan
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MANGROVES: The Indus delta mangrove
ecosystem is spread over 600,000 hectares
SUPARCO in 2009 estimated, the total
covered mangrove forest area along the Coast
of Sindh as107,640 hectares, out of which the
mangrove forests at Karachi harbour area are
spread over 1,160 hectares and in Indus
Deltaic region, over an area of 106,480 ha.
About 7500 hectares of Mangroves exist in
Baluchistan coast
Mangrove Species of Indus Delta
Avicennia marina
(Teemur)
Rhizophora mucronata
(Kumri)
Ceriops tagal
(Kiriri)
Aegiceras corniculatum
(Chaunr)
Coastal Resources of Pakistan cont
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FISHERIES: The deltaic networks of creeks
are a major breeding area for commercially
important coastal fisheries that include
shrimps, finfish, crabs etc with average export
value of US $110 million a year.
The annual average catch of Shrimps from
Sindh coast is 27,500 tons (35 times larger)
whereas, from Balochistan is 800 tons
The annual Finfish harvest in Sindh is
231,000 tons as compared with 103,000 tons
of Balochistan
Economic importance of mangroves
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Important supplier of nutrient and oxygen
Nurseries for many species of fish and shrimp
Stabilize shorelines and reduce coastal erosion
Protect coastal areas from storm damage
Act as carbon sinks
One ha of properly managed mangroves can yield annually
 100 kg of Fish, 25 kg of Shrimp and 15kg of Crab meat
(IUCN 2005)
 In Dollars terms
Direct Valuation = $ 37500/ha (Fishery and Forestry products)
Indirect Valuation = $ 1700/ha (Protective services)
Coastal livelihoods
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The human population in and around mangrove
forests on the coast of Pakistan is estimated to be
about 1.2 million. Nearly 900,000 reside in the
Indus Delta and 300,000 on the Baluchistan
Coast. The number of households is estimated to
be about 140,000 in the Indus Delta and 30,000
on the Baluchistan Coast Coastal Population of
about 210,000 is directly dependant on coastal
resources
About 90% of the households in the coastal
communities rely on fishing and other fisheries
related activities(Siddiqi et.al 2007).
Coastal livelihoods contd
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A diagnostic survey of Indus delta shows that
25% of households depend on Mangrove wood
for cooking & heating purpose. Each family
uses 173 kg. of mangrove wood per month
giving a total annual consumption of 18,000
tons.
It is estimated that a total of 6,000 camels and
3,200 cattle are using the ecosystems resources
and consume about 19.5 m kg of grasses and
67 million kg of leaves annually.
Coastal Livelihoods contd
Conservation & Rehabilitation Initiatives By
Sindh Forest Department spread over 25 Years
Activity
Achievement
Planting on Blank Mudflats
31, 400 Ha.
Planting on High Lying Mudflats
4, 000 Ha.
Planting to Assist Natural Regeneration
15, 632 Ha.
Total
Planted Species
_________
50, 032 Ha.
Avincennia marina; Rhizophora
mucronata & Ceriops tagal
Current and Future Plans of SFD
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Following development projects are underway:
Planting of Mangroves over 5000 hectares in Board of
Revenue and Port Qasim areas
Planting of Mangroves over 8000 hectares in Keti Bandar and
Shah Bandar areas with the assistance of Asian Development
Bank
One new project on climate change and Sea intrusion effects is
ongoing. Spanning over a seven year period, mangrove
plantations over 50,000 Ha. would be developed/raised by
Sindh Forest Department.
A Joint project with IUCN on mangroves is also under
consideration in Keti Bundar and Kharo Chan areas.
Evident changes in mangrove coverage
Conservation initiatives 25 Years contd.
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Pioneer Work: SFD is the pioneer in scientific
management of Mangroves in Pakistan. The most
important achievement is the re-introduction of an extinct
tree species from Indus delta, Rhizophora mucronata. The
spp. has successfully established to an extent that enough
seed is available for planting operations from local source.
Now trial planting of near extinction spp. Ceriops tagal is
underway
Research: Socio-economic Survey; Species survival rates
studies, etc.
Awareness Raising: Activities carried out with the
collaboration IUCN Pakistan, WWF Pakistan & NRSP
Education: Through demonstration Plots and Nursery
raising techniques, publicity and printing materials etc
Guinness World Record: The July 2009 record set for
planting 541,176 Rhizophora plants
Community Participation
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Mangrove Restoration activities
Community Participation in Mangrove Restoration
activities
Mangrove Protection and Awareness
Raising Activities
Mangrove Protection and
Awareness raising activities contd-
Mangrove Protection and
Awareness raising activities contd-
Community Protection Model
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Sindh Forest Department is protecting newly
planted mangrove forests through a family unit
by paying a monthly sum of Rs. 6000/family
for every 60 hectares of plantation. This
arrangement helps in effective protection,
conflict resolution and offers direct financing
option to coastal communities. In future such
plantations would be a source of carbon credit
earnings for poor communities of the coastal
belt
Plantations Raised by SFD in Keti Bundar area
Three- Year Old Avicennia Plantation
Five-Year Old Rhizophora Plantation
Mangrove Plantation at Keti Bandar
Established Mangrove Plantations
Mangrove Plantation at Shah Bandar
Threats to Mangroves
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Shortage of required fresh water and silt depositions from
River Indus have enhanced salinity levels in the delta
Sea intrusion and erosion in the delta caused by sea level
rise
Encroachment for settlements around Karachi mangroves
Industrial and municipal pollution, dumping of waste, oil
spills and leakages
Over exploitation of mangroves for fuel wood/fodder
Grazing and Browsing by Camels
Proposed Strategy
Threat
Recommendation
Responsibility
Insufficient water flow down- Ensure sufficient water flow
stream Kotri Barrage
Industrial and Municipal Pollution
Ensure water treatment plants are
operational and environmental
regulations are followed
Irrigation
Dept:
stakeholders
SEPA,
provincial
Government
Oil-spill and leakages
SEPA, Maritime security agencies
Sea-level rise
Strict monitoring and adoption of a
disaster management strategy
Research into the affect of climate
change and setting up on
monitoring cell
and
all
and
local
SEPA, Ministry of Env (Global
Change Impact Study Centre).
Field level interventions by SFD
through
biological
control
mechanism. NGOs etc
Encroachment for settlements
Enforcement of laws
Sindh Police, Sindh Forest Dept,
PQA, KPT.
Cutting for fuel-wood and fodder
Enforcement of laws, raising new Sindh Forest Dept, NGO’s,
plantations and provision of provincial govt.
alternate sources of wood and
energy
Awareness
in local people, Massive awareness campaign is NGOs, Media and Government
politicians and general public
required
Organizations
THANK YOU